Talking machine and the like



,June 14, 1932. 4 F. A. MITCHELL 1,362,700

TALKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed 001:. 12. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

INVENTOR FRANK ALLEN NMTCHELL.

ATTORNEY I June 14, 1 932. Tc gLL 1,862,700

TALKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed om. 12, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 \9 6 7a as n I I: ll W m Q I J, \5

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' June 14, 1932. F, A, MITCHELL 1,862,700

TALKIIIG MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 12, 1927 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 YIWWAMAM/ xwmmmyyxw y zoo W Z Patented June 14, 1932 i ATENT @FIF'E'CEFRANK ALLEN MITCHELL, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND. ASSIGNOR T0 COLUMBIA PHONO- GRAPH COMPANY, INC., OF BBIDGEPORT,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TALKING .MACI-IINE AND THE LIKEApplication filed October 12,

This invention relates to talking machines andthe like, with particularreference to machines of the kind in which the amplifying horn orchamber comprises two sections or parts, one of which in some casesconsti tutes a reflector adapted to reverse the direction of travel ofthe sound waves.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of talking machine of the above character, in which I amable to obtain greater compactness of the amplifying chamber andassociated parts so that the invention will be particularly applicableto talking machines of the portable variety, while at the same time I amenabled to obtain improved tonal and amplifyingqualities.

The invention consists in a talking machine havinga-n amplifying horn orchamber comprising an outlet section extending beneath the motor-boardand having its outlet substantially at or above the motor-board level,and an inlet section (in addition to the tonearm) situated wholly or inpart within the outlet section.

The invention al o consists in a talking machine having an amplifyinghorn orcham'ber, in combination with a sound conducting inlctsectionextending beneath the motor-board level in adirection laterally of theaxis of the tone-arm, and a sound reflector section h aving its outletsituated substantially at or above the level of the said motor-board.

The invention further consists in other novel features as will bedisclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1shows one construction of amplifying chamber for use in a portabletalking machine shown open and sectioned on line 1-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of Fig. 1, with the lid removed;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. l, and shows the cabinet closedready for transportation;

Fig. t shows a modified construction of ampliiying chamber for portabletalking machines in accordance with the invention;

1927, Serial No. 225,732, and in. Great Britain November 4, 1928.

Fig. 5 isa section similar to Pi 4: showing the cabinet closed;

Fig. 6 shows a further modified construction of amplifying horn inaccordance with the invention; and

7 is a detail view showing the use of ti 3 device as an electric loudspeaker.

In carrying any invention into efieot in one conwenient manner as, forexample, in its application to a portable talking machine, and asillustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, I provide a case 5 of. suitable size andshape, and having a partition or motor-board 6 spaced above the base orbottom 5a of the cabinet and a turntable 7 of any usual form. As shownthe motor-board 6 is cut away or falls short of the rear wall of thecabinet whereby an inlet and outlet opening for the chamber or compart-Inent between the motor-board 6 and the base 5a is provided.

The tone-arm 8 may be of any suitable type and has its outlet end 9pivotally connected to the small end of a horn or taper-in inlet tube 10which passes beneath the motor-board 6 and the larger end ofwhichextendstowards the front of the talking machine case.

The front or outlet end 11 of the inlet -section co-operates with anouter sound reflector or horn 12, which encloses the inlet horn or soundconveyor 10 and extends towards the back of the talking machine andterminates in an outlet 13, which lies approximately in the plane of themotor-board 6.

The outlet 13 is flared to occupy substantially the whole width of thecase 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

The reflector end 14 of the outer horn 12 is formed aft-er the manner oftwo adjacent U-shaped troughs so that the sound-wave impulses areprojected from the inner section 10 round the outside of said innersection where they are further amplified by their passage through theouter section 12.

It will be seen that with such a construction the inlet and outletsections are of ap proximately equal le-I-ig-ths and that the twotogether constitute a horn having an amplify ing length greatly inexcess of the length of the containing case 5, and the arrangement istherefore very suitable for portable talking machines.

To enable the talking machine to be partially collapsed to occupy asmaller bulk when inoperative, I preferably pivot the end 11 of theinner section within the outer section 12 by means of the pivot pin 15,so that the sound-box 16, tone-arm 8 and inner section or sound conveyor10 can be lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the closedposition shown in Fig. 3.

Such collapsibility may be obtained in the manner disclosed in my priorUnited States Patent No. 1,584,184, or by other suitable means.

\Vhen in use for playing a record the tonearm 8 is raised, as shown inFig. 1, and when the instrument is out of use the tone-arm 8 and itsadjacent parts are lowered, as shown in Fig. 3.

The born or sound conveyor 10 may be attached to a suitable link 17,adapted to engage the spring-pressed catch 18 to hold the horn in itsraised position relative to the case 5. The horn 10 is connected to thelink 18 by means of a suitable connection as the pin 30.

The other end of the link 17 is attached to and is moved by the lid 19of the case in such a manner that the link 17 holds the lid 19 in itsopen position when required, and the lid acts as a supplementaryreflector for the sound issuing from the outlet 13.

In a modification in accordance with the invention shown in Figs. t and5, the outer or reflecting horn section 20 is arranged so as to extendbeneath the partition or motorboard 6, and so as to enclose the outletend 21 of the inner section 22, the amplifying length being somewhatreduced as compared with that given by the construction shown in Figs 1to 3 In the construction shown in Figs. l and 5, the inner horn 22 isnot necessarily pivoted within the outer horn 20, as the sound-box 16and tone-arm 8 can be lowered into the horn outlet 23, as shown in Fig.5.

When the lid 19 is raised, as shown in Fig. 4, extension pieces at serveto extend the outlet of the horn 20 right up to the inside of the lidand thereby increase the effective length of the horn.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged construction of horn in acordance with theinvention, suitable for use in the larger type of talking machine inwhich portability is of secondary importance.

The outer reflecting horn section 12 extends beneath the motor-board ina manner similar to that shown in the previous examples, and the outletend 11 of the inlet sect'on 25 is situated therein in such a manner thatthe end 11 co-operates with the reflector 14 to project the sound out ofthe outlet 13 into the chamber 26 situated above the motorboard 6.

It will be seen that the whole of the inlet section 25 is not situatedwithin the outlet section 12. but that the inlet section may be formedwith one or more bends 27 so as to extend below the outlet sectionbefore entering same at the point 28.

By this means, a much greater length of amplifying chamber can beobtained without occupying the space that would be necessary if the hornwere of the usual onepiece construction.

It is now common practice to combine an electric loud speaking devicewith talking machines, in which case such a device could conveniently beattached to the amplifying chamber at 29 (Fig. 7), or in any othersuitable position.

It must be understood that the foregoing descriptions are given by wayof illustration and not of l mi'tation, since it will be obvious thatthe horn or sections from which the same is formed may be made invarious shapes and from diil'ering materials, and further. that thedetails may clearly be modified and various mechanical equivalentssubstituted for the details shown depending upon the type orconstruction of machine to which the invention is to be applied or anypractical requirements that may have to be fulfilled.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be pcr'lkirmed, I declarethat what I claim is:-

1. In a talking machine, a cabinet including amotor-board and a base,said motorboard and base being spaced apart to form a compartment andsaid motor-board arranged to provide an exit from said compartment, ahorn extending into the space between the motor-board and base, areflector, said horn having an outlet delivering sound against thereflector, an amplifying chamber between said motor-board and base andof a. height substantially equal to the distance between the motor-boardand base and closed at one end by said reflector, said amplifyingchamber carrying the sound in a direction opposite to its direction oftravel in said horn, and discharging it upwardly through the exitopening.

2. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a motor-board and base,said motor-board and base being spaced apart, a sound inlet sectionpassing beneath said motor-board and into the space between themotor-board and base, an amplifying chamber between said motor-board andbase and of a height substantially equal to the distance between themotor-board and base, a sound reflector within said amplifying chamberand substantially of the height of the amplifying chamher, said inletsection entering said amplifying chamber and discharging sound againstsaid reflector, said inlet section having a discharge openingsubstantially of the height of the sound reflector, said amplifyingchamber including an outlet section, said reflector reversing thedirection of the sound waves and directing them about the inlet sectionand through the amplifying chamber into the outlet section.

3. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a motor-board and a base,said motorboard and base being spaced apart, a turn table disposed onsaid motor-board, an inlet horn section disposed and directing soundbeneath the motor-board, a tone arm pivotally connected to one end ofsaid inlet section, an outlet section of a height equal to the distancebetween the base and motor-board and discharging the sound from thespace between the motor-board and base and about the inlet section, saidinlet section pivoted at its other end within said space whereby thesaid inlet section, tone arm, and sound box may be lowered within theoutlet section when the machine is closed.

4. A talking machine comprising a cabinet including a motor-board and abase, said motor-board and base being spaced apart, an amplifyingchamber within the space between the motor-board and base and of aheight substantially equal to the distance between the motor-board andbase, a sound inlet section extending beneath said motor-board and intosaid chamber, a tone arm disposed on said inlet section, said amplifyingchamber and sound inlet section extending beneath the m0- tor-board indirection laterally of the axis of said tone arm, and said soundamplifying chamber having its outlet situated at the level of the saidmotor-board.

5. A talking machine including a cabinet, said cabinet including amotor-board having a space therebeneath, an inlet section, a soundreflector against which the inlet section discharges, said soundreflector of a height substantially equal to the distance between themotor-board and base, an outlet section, said sound reflector directingthe sound toward the outlet section, and said outlet section disposedapproximately in the plane of the motor-board.

6. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partition withinthe cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the basewhereby a compartment is provided beneath the partition, saidcompartment having an exit from its top, a horn extending into thecompartment, an amplifying chamber within the compartment and closed atone end, said amplifying chamber of a height substantially equal to thedistance between the partition and base, said horn arranged to dischargesound against said closed end and said amplifying chamber carrying thesound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travelin the horn and discharging it through said exit.

7. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partition withinthe cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the basewhereby a compartment is provided beneath the partition, saidcompartment having an exit from its top,a sound conveyor entering thecompartment and extending along substantially parallel, with thepartition, an amplifying chamber within the compartment closed at oneend, said amplifying chamber of a height substantially equal to thedistance between the partition and base, said sound conveyor arranged todischarge sound against the closed end of the amplifying chamber, andsaid amplifying chamber carrying the soundin a direction substantiallyopposite to its direction of travel in the sound conveyor-anddischarging it through said exit.

8. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a-motor-boardwithin the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartmentbetween the base and motor-board, T

said compartment having an exit from its top, a sound conveyor extendinginto the compartment and having a discharge end therein remote from saidexit opening, means within said compartment and of a heightsubstantially equal to the height of the compartment for turning thesound d livered from said sound conveyor and directing it in asubstantially reverse direction and delivering it to said exit opening.

9. In a talking machine, a cabinet includ ing a base, a motor-boardwithin the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartmentbetween the base and the motorboard, said compartment having an exitfrom its top, a sound amplifier within the compartment, said soundamplifier of a height substantially equal to the height of thecompartment, said sound amplifier including an inlet section terminatingat a point remote from said exit, a reflex section into which said inletsection delivers sound, and said reflex section arranged to deliver thesound to the exit of the compartment.

10. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a motor-boardwithin the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartmentbetween the base and motorboard, said compartment having an exit fromits top, an amplifier within the compartment, said amplifier comprisingan inlet section and a reflex section receiving sound from said inletsection and delivering it to said exit, and said reflex section of theamplifier being of a height substantially equal 4 to the height of thecompartment.

11'. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partitionwithin the cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from thebase to provide a compartment be:

provided beneath the partition,

neath the partition, said compartment having an exit from its top, asound conveyor extending into the compartment, an amplifying chamberWithin the compartment and closed at one end, said amplifying chamberbeing a height substantially equal to the height of the. compartment,said sound conveyor arranged to discharge sound against said closed end,said sound conveyor increasing in cross sectional area as it approachesits discharge end, said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in adirection substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the soundconveyor and discharging it through said exit, and said sound amplifyingchamber increasing in cross sectional area as it approaches the exit.

12. The combination as in claim 11 said sound conveyor and amplifyingchamber being free of the partition.

13. In a talking machine, a cabinetincluding a base, a partition Withinthe cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the basewhereby a compartmentis said compartment having an exit from its top, asound conveyor entering the compartment and extending alongsubstantially parallel with the partition, an amplifying chamber Withinthe compartment closed at one end, said amplifying chamber being aheight substantially equal to the height of the compartment, said soundconveyor arranged to discharge sound against the closed end of theamplifying chamber, said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in adirection substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the soundconveyor and discharging it through said exit, said sound conveyorexpanding laterally as it approaches the exit and being the Width of theexit at the exit.

14. The combination as in claim 13, said exit being substantially thewidth of one Wall of the cabinet, and said amplifying chamber at itsdischarge end being the width of said exit.

15. The combination as in claim 8, said sound conveyor entering thecompartment through the exit opening.

16. The combination as in claim 8, said sound conveyor entering thecompartment through the exit and being pivotally mounted Within thecompartment adjacent its discharge end.

17. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a motor-boardWithin the cabinet and space from the base whereby a compartment isprovided beneath the motorboard, said compartment having an exit fromits top, a horn extending into the compartment, means within thecompartment forming an amplifying chamber substantially of the height ofthe compartment and having a closed end, said horn arranged to dischargesound against said closed end, and said amplifying chamber carrying thesound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travelin the horn and discharging it through said exit.

Signed at London,

of September,

FRAN

England, this 23d day K ALLEN MITCHELL.

